FERRARI PRESIDENT Luca di Montezemolo has revealed for the first time that the Scuderia team is considering releasing former World Champion Kimi Raikkonen from the final year of his contract.
Raikkonen has long been thought to have the skates under him, with Ferrari rumoured to have secured the services of Fernando Alonso from next year.
However, until now, di Montezemolo and Ferrari Team Principal Stefano Domenicali have repeatedly issued denials, reassuring the Finn that the team would honour his contract.
But with Raikkonen now in the sights of Mercedes-backed outfits Brawn GP and McLaren, di Montezemolo has told Italian newspaper La Stampa the team will make an announcement regarding its 2010 driver pairing next month.
“A Spanish or a Finnish driver? We’ll take some decisions within a few weeks,” he said. “What’s certain is that we’ll have a Brazilian driver who deserves another chance, because thank God he is fine now. As for the rest, we are pondering over the best choice.”
The second highest paid sportsperson in the world, Raikkonen is likely to take a pay cut when he moves away from Ferrari, forcing the team to pay out the final year of his $US50 million contract.
With the first piece of the 2010 puzzle now seemingly in place, Raikkonen’s likely departure will spark a flurry of activity in the driver market, although much is dependent on the 29-year-old’s next destination.
If Raikkonen signs with McLaren, it has been suggested that Brawn GP will then oust Rubens Barrichello and hand a seat to outgoing Williams star Nico Rosberg. Mercedes is apparently keen to insert a German behind the wheel of one of their machines.
However, should Barrichello overcome Jenson Button in the race for the driver’s championship, Brawn is expected to retain its current pairing, forcing McLaren to decide between Rosberg and Raikkonen.
Loading ...
Comments
Click here to jump to Add Comment box
How do you get a picture next to your name?
Get a Gravatar. Click here to find out more.
I think that it would be such a disgrace should Di Montezemolo prematurely terminate Kimi’s contract. It will make me lose faith in Ferrari as a team and make me believe that he is nothing but a child who thinks he knows what’s best BUT CLEARLY DOESN’T. This is insane… Alonso over Kimi… Hah, if he wants to be the nanny of Alonso and wipe his a** after he takes a s*** then go ahead and do that… but trust me you just might wish you didn’t make such a hasty decision only because the Finn seems to be rather aloof.
you don’t need a driver who gets 50 mn and remain aloof.
Aloof? Kimi’s not aloof. That’s just him. Kimi is low key, low maintenance, low drama, just wants to drive fast and win.
If Ferrari dumps Kimi, it’s not over the money being paid KR, it’s the money they’re getting from Santander to put Alonso in the car.
And that would be pathetic, to let the sponsor decide who gets to drive.
But it would be great to see Kimi back at McLaren now they’ve built a reliable car. He’d be a nice pairing with the needier Lewis.
Wonder how long before Ferrari would be regretting their loss?
Put back Michael Schumacher again in tandem with Kimmi Raikkonen. They’re in good chemistry and can ignite all of the Ferrari’s team for a win and please polish the pit stop crewmen to aspire for perfection. Most of all avoid useless internal politics that disrupt drivers ambition to win for Ferrari’s team. Kimmi is an asset so keep him along with Michael…He just need a one of a hell partner like michael to awaken his desire. If Ferrari is not winning race anymore, I might not watch F1 cause Ferrari is all about F1 to me. The less politics, the more chance of a team to win. Remember, you got 2 best drivers around and being a good engine manufacturer (probably the best)….so unleash the potential back for good.
kimi is d heart of ferrari n ferrair has a lot of fan followin in d past bcoz of kimi.
if ferrari wanys 2 win more championship titles it needs kimi s services n kimi in a mclaren partnering hamilton will swwep away d constructor as well d drivers title.
- jaideep.j , india